VISITORS to the National Railway Museum in York will get a taste of bygone luxury rail travel when the latest exhibition opens to the public.

Staff at the museum have completed works on the Pullman carriage, Topaz, which sees it go on display from this weekend (May 3).

Topaz, which is situated in the Great Hall, will feature a detailed description of what it would have been like to travel in the carriage which was first used by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway in 1914.

It ran on services between London and the South Coast, on pre-war continental boat trains and the Bournemouth Belle. The carriage was withdrawn in 1960 and restored by the Pullman Car Company.

Amy Banks, interpretation developer at the NRM, who worked on getting the carriage ready for the public said: “It has been a labour of love to get Topaz ready but we are now looking forward to welcoming our visitors on board to experience the heyday of luxury rail travel."